West Ham Memories

[speedyguy 20]

From the Daily Mail, page 52, May 7, 2012:

 

QUESTION: When I was a youngster, I used to watch West Ham speedway at Custom House on a Saturday evening. Does anyone know its history and why it closed down?

 

ANSWER; Further to the earlier answer, I was promoter/manager for the Greyhound Racing Association, from 1965-70, when the Custom House stadium was sold for redevelopment.

A number of the streets on the housing estate which were built on the old stadium's grounds were named after famous West Ham riders Bluey Wilknson, Eric Chitty and Tommy Croombs.

I have a book to be published in the summer - Cinferfellas, When Speedway Was Rock'n'Roll - in which the central character is is a Hammers hero in the the immediate post-war years when crowds of 60,000 regularly attended the stadium. The book (originally a play) strongly features West Ham history, along with other famous clubs of the time such as Wembley and Belle Vue (Manchester).

Incidentally, speedway was not staged on a Saturday but was always on a Tuesday evening, although there were some stagings of Formula 1 Stock Car Racing on some Saturdays.

West Ham Speedway was, and remains the 'Newmarket of Speedways' and is sadly missed.

Dave Lanning,

Poole, Dorset.

Edited May 7, 2012 by speedyguy

[Genesis 0]

My wife's great Aunt's were fanatical West Ham followers and would always be there on a Tuesday night plus New Cross & Hackney as well. When they passed away we found a couple of drawers full of programmes, photos and an autograph book with the likes of Stevenson, Coombes, Chitty, Wilkinson signatures in it. I spent a little time researching it and eventually spoke to the great niece of Tiger and the grandson of Eric Chitty, sending them photos they had never seen. Fascinating to imagine the following the sport had through the 30's.

[keef 105]

After New Cross closed in 63 we used to go to West Am Ackney and Wimbledon occasionally. Can remember Knutsson(my favourite rider), Harrfeldt, MacKinlay, Hunter, Simmons, Trott.

[cityrebel 2,960]

today is the 40th anniversary of west ham speedway's closure. despite being a dons fan custom house was the 'daddy' of the london tracks. it left a lasting impression on me as a child and i still miss it today.

[stratton 1,491]

today is the 40th anniversary of west ham speedway's closure. despite being a dons fan custom house was the 'daddy' of the london tracks. it left a lasting impression on me as a child and i still miss it today.

Rebel i have pictures was West Ham really big? they used to have alot of British Finals and other big events there too didnt they.Also Old Meadowbank looked a massive track too i am sure they had a world final anglo inter continental final a superb line up i think 1971? Briggo maybe was only reserve? the only time since the 50s that he hadnt qualfied not gospel thou.

[oldace 1,678]

Rebel i have pictures was West Ham really big? they used to have alot of British Finals and other big events there too didnt they.Also Old Meadowbank looked a massive track too i am sure they had a world final anglo inter continental final a superb line up i think 1971? Briggo maybe was only reserve? the only time since the 50s that he hadnt qualfied not gospel thou.

 

Yes Sidney 1965,1967,1969 and 1970 British Finals were at Custom House

[chunky 6,092]

It was a big place, sidney, and relatively open, and you'd get the wind coming off the river! I loved the place, but for us, the biggest problem was the drive there! I was at the 1969 British Final, and other memories include Christer Lofqvist's debut (against the Dons, when Sverre Harrfeldt broke his arm) and the Lokeren Memorial.

 

Steve

[cityrebel 2,960]

Rebel i have pictures was West Ham really big? they used to have alot of British Finals and other big events there too didnt they.Also Old Meadowbank looked a massive track too i am sure they had a world final anglo inter continental final a superb line up i think 1971? Briggo maybe was only reserve? the only time since the 50s that he hadnt qualfied not gospel thou.

i went to the 1970 british final at custom house. there was 20,000 there that night and there was plenty of room for more. west ham was a big, wide 415 yard pacy track with plenty of racing lines. the place was steeped in speedway history and if you ever went to hyde road, then you will know exactly what it was like.

[stratton 1,491]

i went to the 1970 british final at custom house. there was 20,000 there that night and there was plenty of room for more. west ham was a big, wide 415 yard pacy track with plenty of racing lines. the place was steeped in speedway history and if you ever went to hyde road, then you will know exactly what it was like.

Hyde rd was special,i think every time apart from once it Piddled with rain the 1983 BLRC was like a swamp.Odviously Rebel West Ham means alot to you and you still have your memories.

[chunky 6,092]

Hyde rd was special

Very much so.

it Piddled with rain the 1983 BLRC was like a swamp.

Same as when we won the KOC up there in 1970!

 

Steve

[stratton 1,491]

Very much so.

 

Same as when we won the KOC up there in 1970!

 

Steve

Chunky Belle vue was there lineup, Mauger Sjosten Pusey Roper Hemus Eyre Broadbelt? probably way off the mark maybe the year is wrong not sure about Roper? Edited May 25, 2012 by sidney

[chunky 6,092]

Chunky Belle vue was there lineup, Mauger Sjosten Pusey Roper Hemus Eyre Broadbelt? probably way off the mark maybe the year is wrong not sure about Roper?

First leg (at Plough Lane), the Aces lined up (1-7) : Mauger, Pusey, Roper, Eyre, Sjosten, Waplington, Hiftle.

Second leg (at Hyde Rd), the Aces lined up (1-7) : Mauger, Pusey, Roper, Hemus, Sjosten, Eyre, Hiftle.

 

Steve

[stratton 1,491]

First leg (at Plough Lane), the Aces lined up (1-7) : Mauger, Pusey, Roper, Eyre, Sjosten, Waplington, Hiftle.

Second leg (at Hyde Rd), the Aces lined up (1-7) : Mauger, Pusey, Roper, Hemus, Sjosten, Eyre, Hiftle.

 

Steve

Thanks Steve wasnt far out, Mike Hiftle did he also start with the Belle vue colts?Shows to beat that Belle Vue side was some achievement .

[mickthemuppet 976]

Custom House was a very big track about 440 yards. Compare this to tonight's GP venue at Ullevi. ,the Hammers track was about 30 yards longer. They had a crowd of 57,000 for the restart of Speedway after WW2. for a challenge match against Wembley. in April 1946. There has also been reports that there were crowds there of 80,000.for some speedway matches.

Besides Speedway ,Greyhound racing was also staged here. There was also the Thames Association football club which played in the Third Division South in 1930. It was not a success with one match only attracting 469 people. Must have looked quite empty in a stadium that could hold 120,000. After three seasons the football team resigned from the league and was dissolved

[Ian 24]

Rebel i have pictures was West Ham really big? they used to have alot of British Finals and other big events there too didnt they.Also Old Meadowbank looked a massive track too i am sure they had a world final anglo inter continental final a superb line up i think 1971? Briggo maybe was only reserve? the only time since the 50s that he hadnt qualfied not gospel thou.

 

Old Meadowbank wasn't all that big - 363 yards (332 metres). However, it had very wide sweeping bends which made it look big, and the short straights meant that riders generally weren't too spaced out.

 

Glasgow's White City was exactly the opposite, with very long straights and hairpin bends.

 

Compared with these West Ham looked huge, but I never thought much of the racing there. Perhaps that's because speedway is a bit like fags and booze in that you get hooked on a specific brand and nothing else is ever quite the same.